TUA, WATSON, MAHOMES — WHERE IS TOM BRADY, WHO SHOULD RETIRE FROM FOX?
His confirmed role as a Las Vegas Raiders owner means he’s out of place and beyond ethics as a broadcaster, particularly at $375 million, which means network executives should force him to quit
Tua Tagovailoa is practicing. He intends to play Sunday, despite another concussion, which doesn’t bother him even if his eyes weep from forceful impact. “There’s just risk in everything. And I’m willing to play the odds. That’s it,” he said. “I think the brain is, it’s just, there’s a gray area if you don’t know you’re going to get long-term disease. This is what I love to do and this is what makes me happy and I’m going to do it.”
What does Tom Brady think of the dangerous comeback?
We haven’t heard.
Deshaun Watson’s career is over, his Achilles tendon torn as Cleveland fans cheered wildly. He deserves no solace after more than two dozen women accused him of using massage therapy sessions to sexually assault them. It’s the worst trade in American sports history, bringing him to the Browns and giving him a guaranteed $230 million.
What does Tom Brady think of Watson’s predicament?
We haven’t heard.
The Chiefs polished off the 49ers, leaving Patrick Mahomes at 6-0 as he pursues a fourth Super Bowl victory in Kansas City. Brock Purdy is beginning to perform like the 262nd pick in the draft.
What does Tom Brady, a man with seven rings, think of Mahomes chasing him? What does a man who was drafted 199th think of Purdy?
We haven’t heard.
What we know is that Brady and a partner have invested $220 million into the Las Vegas Raiders, giving them 10 percent of the franchise. Any moment now, Brady should meet with Fox executives and explain he’s retiring from his role as the No. 1 announcer on broadcasts, which includes the Super Bowl in February. Anyone who buys into an NFL team should not assess the other 31 teams, on air, with necessary clarity and an open mind. As it is, the league bans Brady from visiting the facilities and practices of teams appearing on Fox, which doesn’t allow him a chance to visit with coaches and players. He cannot criticize other teams during games. He cannot criticize officials.
So, allow me to say Brady’s announcing career — at $375 million — is the ultimate in sports media wackiness. Fox is airing a program called “The Floor,” hosted by Rob Lowe, that is called “the dumbest game show ever.” Brady is out of place and beyond ethics when he lines up with Kevin Burkhardt, who was much better when Greg Olsen was the booth partner. Brady smiles, wears spiffy glasses and has a pocket square on his jacket. Otherwise, without any connection to the participants, he’s just a future Hall of Famer with the most titles and an ex-romance with Gisele Bundchen. He was more marketable to Page Six when he was enduring marital problems.
Now? He says little and hasn’t been spotted on the dating scene. But he can be found in Henderson, Nev., where Raiders controlling owner Mark Davis was thrilled when owners approved Brady and Knighthead Capital Management founder Tom Wagner.
“We traded Davante Adams for Tom Brady and a third-round draft pick,” Davis said after trading a star receiver to the New York Jets. “Although Tom can’t play, he can help us select a quarterback in the future and potentially train him as well. So, it’s a huge benefit for the organization.”
Help select a quarterback and train him? Isn’t he a commentator?
Folks would enjoy hearing Brady talking about Tagovailoa, Watson, Mahomes, Purdy and a big matchup this weekend involving Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams. Would he take Tua’s risks? Would he escape to another planet if he were Watson? Is Purdy not a capable superman? Is Daniels, with Kliff Kingsbury coaching him on a first-place team, better than Williams, who has beaten four opponents with 6-20 records? But if Brady only can make pleasant comments, as the league watches, why do we listen?
Troy Aikman and Cris Collinsworth continue to be the prime analysts — Tony Romo is a fanboy — who make the most incisive comments. As Dak Prescott struggles to make his $240 million, Aikman said the Dallas receivers are making a mess. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones threatened to fire three radio hosts last week, but he has no problem with the quarterback who won three Super Bowls for the Cowboys in the 1990s. Jones called him “credible” and says he “knows football.”
“He’s very professional,” Jones said. “I think he’s very fair. … I’m pretty confident that we’ve got the ability to coach and we got some receivers that take the coaching and can improve. And that’s the big thing — improve.”
Wouldn’t we love Brady to take off on receivers or Prescott or Jones? He can’t. He must live with restrictions, meaning he isn’t a legitimate media person as much as a man showing up to watch a game in Italian clothes. Did the Pittsburgh Steelers make the right move in starting Russell Wilson over Justin Fields?
Should Aaron Rodgers make this his final season?
Is the NFC North one of the best divisions he has seen?
Are the Chiefs not quite as good as Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens?
What do you think, Tom Brady? We haven’t heard.
###
Jay Mariotti, called “without question the most impacting Chicago sportswriter of the past quarter-century,’’ writes general sports columns for Substack while appearing on some of the 1,678,498 podcasts and shows in production today. He is an accomplished columnist, TV panelist and talk/podcast host. Living in Los Angeles, he gravitated by osmosis to film projects.